RE: NPP Delegates Conference And The Matters Arising

The Alliance for the Advancement of Democracy (AAD) wishes to congratulate the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for a generally peaceful national delegate’s conference and to express our utmost disappointment in the election of certain officials to lead the party. We view the election of Mr. Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Alhaji Moctar Musa Bamba and Mr. Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie. as an implicit endorsement of the perception that the NPP (agents and operatives) is highly corrupt and a failure to purge itself of the incalculable effects of such perceptions which partly caused their political defeat in 2008.

Taking cognizance of the fact that, a party in opposition must be seen to be a credible alternative to the government of the day, we think the credibility of the largest opposition has been grossly undermined with the election of key national officials who in their respective public offices were either allegedly found or explicitly engaged in arbitrariness, abuse of power, fraud, visa racketeering, breach in fiduciary duties, and the improper acquisition of state bungalows/ Ga lands.

Even though the circumstances under which Mr. Jake Obetsebi Lamptey purchased Ga stool lands and state bungalows is still pending in the Supreme court, we wish to state categorically that his election has the propensity to dangerously fuel and fan unprecedented disaffection of the NPP by Ga’s. For a party which lost approximately seven parliamentary seats in the Greater Accra Region (during the 2008 General elections), to elect a man whose conduct had been overwhelmingly resisted and protested by the Ga Youth and groups such as, the Ga Youth for the advancement of Justice and democracy; we view his election as a recipe for disaster and an affront to the interested parties. It is also instructive to note that, although Mr. Jake Obetsebi Lamptey was the campaign Chairman of the NPP, the performance of the party in the region in which he hails from (Greater Accra Region) and was once elected as the Chairman of the NPP; was regrettably abysmal (lost most of its seats in Parliament).

We also want to state that the election of Mr. Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie (General Secretary) who is a die-hard Nana Addo supporter must in the discharge of his duties, exhibit; fairness, neutrality and objectivity amidst the worrying concerns that there are factions within the party. Mr. Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie must also clear himself of the claims that he resigned from his position as the Director of the Legal and Administration of GNPC due to the pressure of the board compelling him to do. This compelling order was purportedly necessitated by his abuse of office, false representation of a lady to the US embassy, and his unilateral activities with the Libyan government. The General Secretary of a great party such as the NPP, with all its human resources must be led by persons who live above reproach and are presumed to be credible.

AAD also considers the election of Alhaji Moctar Musa Bamba to the office of the National Organiser of the NPP as a bad testimony of the commitment of the party to dispel the notion that they are corrupt.

Alhaji Moctar Bamba, former Deputy Minister for Presidential Affairs, in November 2005 during an interview on Radio Gold confirmed allegations of impropriety and abuse of office leveled against him, while he was in charge of the auction of state properties. As a matter of fact, Mr. Justice Ofoe (a trial judge) condemned the conduct of Alhaji Moctar Musa Bamba, in his ruling of November 8, 2005 in a case in which Alhaji Moctar Musa Bamba, had been dragged to court by Alhaji Showumi Williams and another, as 3rd Defendant alongside others.

It must be significantly noted that the Chairman (Alhaji Showumi Williams) of the Ghana Auctioneers Association in a letter written on the subject matter to President John Agyekum Kufuor, dated February 5 2003, and copied the chairman of the Council of State, disclosed that, 'The corruption and fraudulence were worse under Alhaji Bamba and his associates,' and therefore called for an enquiry into his activities.

AAD wishes to equally highlight the scandalous activities of Alhaji Bamba in 2002 when he was purported to have engaged in Visa racketeering and forgery. Indeed, his questionable activities as the Deputy Minister of Presidential Affairs, ultimately remains a blight on his personality and that of his newly elected office.

At a time that the NPP is struggling to rebrand and purge itself from the perception that corruption is inherent in the NPP, we believe the historical activities of the key elected individuals will derail any effort to convince Ghanaians that the party as an institution abhors corruptible conduct. AAD recognizes that perceptions in political circles ultimately inform the decision of electorates to vote for a party. This therefore means that if the persons involved and the NPP as an entity do not address our concerns, any attempt to consolidate our multi-party democracy with the active engagement of a vibrant alternative opposition parties being engineered by noble men and women of credible personalities to challenge the government of the day on corruption and other issues which bother on governance shall be an act in futility since it is always said that he who seeks equity must always come with clean hands.

Thank you!!!

Long Live Ghana, Long Live Democracy, Long Live AAD-Ghana!!!

Yours faithfully,

Justice Kutsienyo

Spokesperson, AAD-Ghana (0242-385-006)